Theft/Fire-proof data backups.

[Lamron]

My data is fairly well protected in my computer. I have two identical hard drives set up to mirror each other (RAID 1). That covers me for simple hardware failure. Then each night I have Acronis True Image automatically back up everything to another partition. So I basically have four complete sets, original+backup x 2 drives.

But I was thinking, what if someone steals the entire computer? I considered hiding a USB drive inside a wall, figuring that anyone stealing the computer would be pulling out all the cables from the back of it and never realize there was an extra one.

But what about a house fire? I came across this: www.hddfiresafe.com/ Its a little pricey, but security hardware is always "too expensive" right up until the day you need it.

Do you guys do anything special to protect against data loss from hardware theft/damage?

[Death's Shadow]

Looks sweet, but then again back to theft.. They will see that nice shiny big box and take it also..

For the 199 I am sure you could get off site back up. Drop box is what I use. They have free 2Gig service and have paid space also for data back up. I dont have anywhere close too the 1TB of info too back up so it works for me. Check it out they have a few options for their paid service as well. www.getdropbox.com/pricing

Several of us guys use the free version too back up some stuff and makes for a nice file transfer if you want too share something. And fast too.

If any of you decide you would like to try it out, could you use this link too sign up please.

www.getdropbox.com/referrals/NTgyMDkwNTk

It gives me 500Mb more free space. You can do the same after signing up for a free account, send the link too who ever you think would enjoy it and they will give you more free space also.

I think off site is the only true way too be sure to protect from theft, fire, flood, virus contamination, or accidental loss.

Just an Idea..

[RedRock]

Most fire protection safes, etc., are limited in their protection--the best will protect for typical house fire temperatures for up to about 90 minutes, and after that, damage will occur. The hope is that the fire will be discovered and put out before that 90 minutes even comes close to being reached. You will pay a whole lot extra for that extra fire protection, though, beyond 30 or 45 or 60 minutes (typical models). My gun safe is rated for 60 minutes. I figure if it's not discovered and put out by then, it's not going to be discovered in time, anyhow. My gun safe does have an extra pocket in it with extra shielding from heat and, supposedly, magnetic waves, where a usb or other hard drive could be placed.

The site you gave, Lamron, check out the details carefully--they throw words out like Fire Safe and Fire Resistant and Waterproof kind of liberally, but that's partly salesmanship. One of the internal drives there, for example, says
* Fireproof to 1400°F, 15 minutes
* Waterproof to 5 feet for 24 hours - fresh water or salt water
Well, heck, my body is fireproof to 1400 degrees!
For about 0.25 seconds.
So, read it with a grain (or several billion) of salt.

I backup my important stuff to several usb jump drives (8-16 GB each, pretty cheap) and usually keep one with me at all times, one in the gun safe, and one in the bank safe deposit box. Obviously, I have to update and shuffle the drives occasionally. For my tax data, I usually make annual CD's or DVD's with that year's app, support files, and final tax returns and store those in my gun safe and safe deposit box--I keep each for 7 years beyond the final filing deadlines, so about 10 years total for each. (Oh, except for my iTunes music--I have a separate usb hard drive for that, but just one--if it goes bad and my computer goes bad, I'm just screwed, because it's almost ? 40 Gb of data, too big for on-line storage, etc.)

As an AOL member, I think I have free storage on-line of ?4 GB, but I don't use it. Likewise, for my Mac.com account, I think I have a bunch of storage, and I've used it for temporary storage of pk3's for others here to download. Carbonite and other commercial on-line backup sites do the same, at more cost. My problem with all of these is loss of control and privacy concerns--if the company goes down, or if they don't have adequate fire protection and backups of their own, my data could be lost if I rely on them, and the files could be read, sold, or stolen without my knowledge, and I can't get the stuff whenever I want unless their sites are up and the internet is running OK (so Zombie time is out, but then, maybe I don't need the files if Zombies come).

[Death's Shadow]

I agree the most sensitive data should be stored on some type of medium and stored at the bank or some where else..

every day files, or storage and set up files, that you use that are not privacy sensitive are what I store at dropbox.